The best gaming laptop under $2,000: 5 premium gaming laptops in 2022
The best 15 Inch, 17 Inch, 1080p, 1440p, 165Hz, & 240Hz gaming laptops for $2,000 & cheaper
In this guide, we will be asking what is the best gaming laptop under 2000 USD? We have found five gaming laptops, each of them with different strengths and weaknesses, which we consider to be the best in this price range. We go through all the main features and specifications you need to know, including the GPU, CPU, RAM, disk space, display, and ergonomics to help you work out which one is right for you. If price isn’t so much of a concern for you and you want to see the best gaming laptops platforms across all price ranges, then consider taking a look at our best gaming laptop page.
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Is the best gaming laptop under 2000 USD worth buying?
Above $1,000 gaming laptops really start becoming worthy of the name: able to play even the latest, most demanding games, although not necessarily on particularly high settings. A $2,000 gaming laptop is the point where you can pretty much guarantee you will be able to play the latest AAA titles on the higher graphical settings, though if you turn them up to the absolute max you may still have slower than desirable FPS – this is the unfortunate reality of laptop gaming compared to using a desktop PC.
If you have a quick read of our Things to consider when buying a gaming laptop under $2,000 section below we will elaborate on this further and talk about everything you need to know before coming to a decision about your purchase.
Note: The ongoing GPU shortage has led to inflated prices in some gaming laptops, particularly those with Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics cards. As a result, you may see some fluctuation in the prices of the below selections.
Our Top Picks
The best gaming laptops under $2000 in 2022
In-depth Review
GIGABYTE CUK AORUS 15G (RTX 3080)
GIGABYTE CUK AORUS 15G (RTX 3080)
The Gigabyte CUK AORUS 15G Gamer Notebook comes with an Nvidia 3080 Max-Q graphics card (Max-Q designating the less powerful version used for laptops) and an Intel Core i7-10870H processor: a formidable pairing that should be comfortably able to run any game, even on max settings (though you won’t get the best FPS doing this). The 32GB of RAM rounds off the main specifications nicely, giving you ample memory for multitasking whilst gaming, or for workstation usage. The sizable 1TB SSD is another welcome feature.
The display on this machine reaches up to an impressive 240Hz which should be ample for anyone interested in competitive gaming, and tweaking the settings lower on some less demanding games, you should be able to reach 240FPS. In terms of colors, the gamut is adequate for gaming, though not suitable for anyone doing color-based workstation tasks. Generally, the display does not match the crisp vibrancy of Razer and Alienware offerings, but it does the job.
We wouldn’t say this is the best-looking laptop we’ve ever seen, but the reserved design does mean it would be suitable for a dual-use office machine visually, although equally the loud fan noise might deter you from this. Battery life is adequate to good, though not as good as the RTX 3070 Max-Q version (the more powerful GPU is more of a drain): you will get around 3.5+hours for demanding non-gaming usage, and up to around 7 hours for less strenuous work on battery saver mode. The trackpad of the laptop is great and comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner. The mechanical-like keyboard is a bit plasticky feeling, however having a full-size keyboard is a boon, and it is generally a good typing experience.
In terms of the drawbacks, the webcam is placed in that irritating under the chin position that some laptop makers continue to use. Port coverage is generally fine, but lacks a Thunderbolt port, which may be a turn-off for some. Fan noise is also unfortunately loud at times, even on battery saver mode, though on the plus side the laptop does run relatively cool considering its powerful components. The biggest drawback is the lack of G-Sync support, making the occasional bit of screen tearing more likely. Ultimately though, what you’re paying for with this machine is the GPU and CPU, and at this price level, you won’t find a better option.
Razer Blade 15 (2021) 1440p 165Hz
Razer Blade 15 (2021) 1440p 165Hz
This Razer Blade 15 comes with a 1440p resolution screen that might be overkill for some on a 15 inch laptop, but its undeniable that it looks great. The 165Hz refresh rate on the display might not be as fast as some of the other laptops on this list, but its nothing to be sniffed at, and will be a worthwhile trade-off for many for the higher resolution. Generally the screen is gorgeous, and has great color replication and brightness, as is typical of the Razer Blade laptop range. This machine would be suitable for color-accurate workstation tasks in the sRGB range.
As for the gaming power of this laptop the Intel Core i7-10750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q are both powerful components, even if not quite the best on this page. Still, you will definitely be able to push less demanding games to the 165FPS mark that the screen can display on the native resolution if you tweak some of the settings.
It’s unfortunate that the machine only comes with 16GB of RAM – although this is an adequate amount 32GB would have been nice; more disappointing is that it only has a 512GB SSD, which is really not that ample for today’s sized games. Still both of these features can be upgraded by taking off the back of the laptop – just be advised that this will void your warranty as is typical.
Besides this the Razer laptop is thin, looks great aesthetically, and has a great array of ports and sockets including Thunderbolt support. Battery life will only last you a few hours at most under strenuous non-gaming usage, which is not the worst but not the best of the offerings here. All-in-all though, a quality laptop.
GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC-8US2430SH
GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC-8US2430SH
The CUK AORUS 15G laptop from Gigabyte comes in at under $1,800 at the time of writing, which is a great price considering what you get. The GPU is one of the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 cards, and the processor is the powerful Intel Core i7-10870H (the most powerful CPU on this page), both of which should be able to play any game at decent FPS in 2021.
The 240Hz screen should be more than adequate for those competitive online gamers who prioritize the most liquid fast gameplay and on games like CS:GO, Overwatch, or Fortnite you should be able to reach the 240FPS necessary to make the most out of it. It should be noted however that the machine is not G-Sync compatible, so some may find the occasional bit of screen-tearing compared to other machines. Color reproduction on the IGZO display is solid for gaming but the gamut and accuracy aren’t quite good enough for color-centric workstation tasks, even though the machine has the power for them, especially given the generous 32GB of RAM it comes with.
As with the more expensive version listed above, the inputs for this laptop are great: the touchpad is responsive and comes with a fingerprint scanner in the corner, and the full-size mechanical-like keyboard (not true mechanical) is a relatively unusual feature and a dream to type on, although the keys do feel a little cheap. The webcam on this laptop is placed beneath the screen, leading to rather unflattering under the chin viewing angles, though this might not be important to some. The ports and sockets are generally ample, and include an SD card reader, unfortunately however there is no Thunderbolt support.
Battery life on the machine is above average, and you can expect to get at least 4 hours from strenuous non-gaming tasks, and up to 8 hours for undemanding work on battery saver mode. Although not the thinnest of machines, the laptop is fairly light. The fans are fairly noisy but this does keep the laptop running at quite a cool temperature.
The biggest drawback of this machine is the limited 512GB SSD which we would consider upgrading/adding to using the available slot. All-in-all though, this is a terrific laptop for the price.
Alienware M15 R4 FHD Gaming Laptop With RTX 3070
Alienware M15 R4 FHD Gaming Laptop With RTX 3070
300Hz is a very impressive refresh rate for a display on a laptop at any price, though especially one around the $2,000 mark, and that is what the Alienware m15 R4 provides. There is a debate to be had as to whether this high a refresh rate is actually worth the money however, given the other components on the machine. The Intel Core i7-10870H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q GPU are certainly both powerful, but even the laptop versions of the 2080 Ti and RTX 3080 would struggle to get anywhere near 300 FPS on most recent games, even with the settings tweaked down. If you play undemanding games on lower settings and really need that extra FPS to get an edge though, then it’s undeniably a unique feature in a gaming laptop.
Besides the refresh rate, the display is of a premium quality – the color gamut is exceptionally wide (showing 211% of the sRGB spectrum) and accurate to boot. If you don’t mind working at 1080p resolution, this machine would be great for color-based workstation usage alongside gaming.
The 16GB of RAM the machine comes with is adequate though you may want to upgrade it to 32GB down the line. The respectable 1TB SSD should be quite sufficient, though again you can add in an additional SSD should you wish. As is common with Alienware laptops, the battery life is a significant weakness – you’ll be lucky to get 1 hour out of it from strenuous use, and around 2.5 hours plus in battery saver mode for general web browsing etc. Fan noise is loud, as is typical with many gaming laptops, but the surface of the laptop also gets warm despite this under extended use – not the hottest we’ve seen but hotter than we’d like.
Build wise the laptop is up to the standard you’d expect from Alienware: everything looks great and feels of exceptional quality, and the membrane keyboard and touchpad are a pleasure to use. It’s a fairly slimline machine as well, making it quite portable. All-in-all this is a terrific, elegant laptop.
Razer Blade Pro 17 Gaming Laptop (2019) With 2080 Max-Q
Razer Blade Pro 17 Gaming Laptop (2019) With 2080 Max-Q
Another great Razer laptop, this Razer Blade Pro 17 inch 2019 version comes with the same level as quality as the other one reviewed on this page in terms of color gamut and accuracy (both excellent), making it ideal for color-focused workstation tasks as well as gaming. The extra screen real estate is also a boon for such uses, although some may wish that the resolution was the QHD 1440p version. This configuration is available with the 17 inch display, but it will cost you well beyond $2,000.
The refresh rate on this particular display goes as high as 240Hz, which is great for those interested in fast paced competitive gaming. In terms of the raw power required to generate the FPS to reach this cap, the laptop comes with an older series GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics card, which is still superior to the RTX 3060 but slightly below the RTX 3070 performance wise. Similarly the Intel Core i7-9750H isn’t the most powerful CPU on this list but it’s respectable. Ultimately you won’t be able to reach 240 FPS on anything but less demanding games on lower settings, but it is still feasible.
In terms of the other specifications, 16GB of RAM is adequate for gaming but could be higher. Those wishing to use this laptop for workstation tasks are advised to upgrade it to 32GB, though this will void the warranty of the machine. More of a let down is the 512GB SSD – again this can be upgraded or paired with an additional drive, but this requires opening up the laptop and voiding the warranty as mentioned.
As with all Razer Blade laptops, the machine is thin and easily portable. In terms of design aesthetics it looks great and the keyboard and touchpad are both of good quality. The laptop comes with a good array of ports, including Thunderbolt support. A great 17 inch option for this price point.
Final Word
So this has been our guide to the best gaming laptop under 2000 USD.
The CUK AORUS 15G by Gigabyte with RTX 3080 GPU is our best all-rounder if you’re happy going with a 1080p option, but each selection on this page is a worthy alternative if it suits your specific needs. If you’re after a 1440p display then we’d instead suggest the Razer Blade 15 (2021) with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070.
Please have a look above for recommended laptop guides for different budgets if you fancy something cheaper or more expensive.
If there’s a specific laptop you’d like us to review that we haven’t looked at yet, please leave a comment below.
